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4 ways to protect your gadgets at university

We’ve all heard those horror stories of university students getting burgled mid-dissertation and losing their mobiles, laptops and everything in between. One in four students are victims of theft during their time at university, according to Direct Line, and around 70 million smartphones are lost each year in the UK. So, here are four ways to protect your devices, data and your work while you’re studying.

1. Cover it up

We’ve all dropped a phone down the loo at some point, right? By putting on laptop skins, screen covers and keyboard protectors, you can potentially save your devices and prolong their life. Covers can prevent your screens from breaking or your phone’s ports from being soaked in water in the unfortunate event that your trusty tablet or mobile ends up in the toilet. Sensible practices such as avoiding liquids near your computer, keeping your phones in front pockets or inside a purse, and locking electronics inside your room when not in use, can also help reduce thefts and accidents.

2. Backing not hacking

Rule number one is back up your work, in case anything happens to the device that it’s saved on (or perhaps worse, that device gets hacked). Should you lose your devices and have sensitive data on them such as your banking details, you can often track them down remotely and wipe out your data, so that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. But first, save data regularly (whether in the cloud or on multiple external disks) to ensure that you have several backups in the worst-case scenario.

3. The stronger the better

As well as locking up devices in safe places (especially if you’re sharing communal spaces with others), you should also create a strong password for each device. If you’re using machine-generated passwords that are long and difficult to remember, write them down on a piece of paper and hide it somewhere safe. It’s also a good idea to change your passwords periodically to keep hackers at bay. Don’t use the same ones across websites and on your devices. Multiple authentication is another secure way of protecting your devices from valuable data loss, if stolen.

4. Insurance, insurance, insurance

Are you prone to losing or breaking your stuff? Or perhaps you study a technical subject at university and own a number of expensive electronics? Then getting gadget insurance might make sense for you. Multi-gadget insurance not only covers accidental damage but also theft and loss, so it’s less hurtful on your wallet if the worst happens. You can even include your gadgets in a general contents insurance. It'll make sticking to your student budget a lot easier if the worst happens.